893.01 Manchuria/665: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 5—2:33 a.m.]
1293. Following from American Consul General at Mukden.
“December 3, 11 a.m. A trustworthy informant states that he has learned from a fairly reliable person who claims to have been secretly informed by Chang Ching-hui’s secretary that Tokyo has instructed Chang to carry out a program which will result in Pu-yi being installed at the Mukden Palace if possible about January 1st as Emperor Hsu an Tung of a Manchu-Mongol Empire. The newly organized Manmeng Hsieh Hui will assist in carrying out the plan. The motives behind the alleged plan are reported to be to obtain the strong support of all Mongolians and Monarchists including those in North China and to facilitate a possible extension [of] territory in the future by evoking the sentimental appeal of a movement for the restoration of the Empire. Efforts to verify this information will be continued.”
The Legation is familiar with these rumors and discussed them briefly in its monthly political report for October (see despatch No. 1814, November 15th, pages 21 to 25).45
- Not printed.↩